Rooney completes United deal

MANCHESTER United have completed the signing of England striker Wayne Rooney from Everton. The 18-year-old is now registered as a United player after he passed a medical with the club earlier and all the details were agreed.

MANCHESTER United have completed the signing of England striker Wayne Rooney from Everton.

The 18-year-old is now registered as a United player after he passed a medical with the club earlier on Tuesday and all the details were finally agreed.

The clubs reached "outline agreement" earlier in the day and the deal was completed with four and a half hours to go before the closure of the transfer window.

Rooney has signed a six-year contract with United, who will pay Everton a basic é20million, with half to be paid immediately and the other half due on August 1, 2005.

There are contingent payments totalling up to an extra é7million dependent on the fulfilment of various clauses over the next five years.

Rooney's representatives, Pro-Active Sports Management Ltd, could be paid é1.5million - depending on Rooney's loyalty to United - for their role in the acquisition of the player and the negotiation of his personal terms.

Rooney will be unveiled at a 1pm press conference on Wednesday. He said: "It was a tough decision to leave Everton, the club I've supported and played for all my life, but I'm excited to be joining a club as big as Manchester United.

"I feel this can only improve my career, playing with top players in top competitions like the Champions League and I can't wait to meet up with the team."

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson is thrilled to have Rooney on board after competition for his signature from Newcastle. He said: "I am very excited, I think we have got the best young player this country has seen in the past 30 years. Everyone is delighted by this signing."